Junction box assembly



Dec. 12, 1950 F. A; I AssERRE 2533573 JUNCTION Box ASSEMBLY Filed .June 1v,A 194e s sheets-sheet 1 me/M304) fa'serra www5 F. A. LASSERRE JUNCTION BOX ASSEMBLY Dec. 12, 1956 2,533,673

Filed June 17, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 www5 Dec. l2, 1950 F. A. LAssERRE 2,533,673

\ JUNCTION Box ASSEMBLY IM /z7 /Z/ Patented Dec. 12, 1950 U Nil T EVD STATES PATENT QFFICE JSUNC'EEON BOX ASSEMBLY liraf-nco-isV A. Lasserre, Rayne, La..

pplcat''oir .fune'1-7, 1946, Serial No.- 6771,1i5'5 n 3M Claims-'.1 1

The. present invention. relates to improvements in. junction or outlet boxes for BX; or' Glfeennield cables.A

One of the objects thereof. tol provide'. asini.- ple', oni-cient and. inexpensive: junction: box in which is'` mounted an insulating:` current. distrib uting block sot shaped, vamangled?. anni cooperating with. the junction. orhr outlet box that a die versity oi circuit. lines may connect therewith which was' not found. practicable to accomplish before in a junction box.

Another object thereof. is to provide six-Way lead wire. connection` tof aY junction. box.;l made possible by employing the electrical: means comprising my invention. For this` purpose Iprotide au insulating. current distributing sectional block` the outlet4 or' junction box. constructed with the view of. allowing connection from the four sides of the box; of four cables, andi tun-,ner permitting' two' more: cables to extend centrally of the. block` running: in opposite directions vertical-ly or' horizontally-1.

Another object thereof is` to provide',` ai. de vice of the kind. described,. improved means; for constructing the insulating` current distributing block so that all of its'i` circuit mak-ing; contacts are effectively imbedded therein...

Another object. thereof is to: provide', iin a clevice'. of the kind described, improved means; for permitting connection or sin different BX cables or similar Wire connections tof enter thebo'x. irfo'm the sides `and center'a'ndi all be laid over' the same side oftheinsulating block bound'. under the binding` screws to which they' are' attached,. to

thereby produce' all open: wire Work" t'lie'ois'rotherl contacts' are. located on: opposite eine thereof, and While some' contacts have; extensions intersecting the planesof other' contactsg. all contact members have' terminals located on one and tliesa'm'e sider ofthe block to which the' Wtres of the cablesv are directly connectedY a main'- 3 ne'r approved by acceptedstanda-rds outlined.' t'o'l" such electrical work;-

With the above and other objects i+1-view, my invention consists inthe combinat n, arrange'- ment' and details of' construction disclosed the 2. drawings and specifications andY then` more par'- ticul'arly pointed: out in the appendedE claims'.

the drawings wherein similar" reference characters designate similar parts throughout the respective: views,

Figure` l; is a: topf plan. View' of my invention with the top plate ot the junction box. and top plate: or section. of; the bloeit' removed Figure 2 is a; bottom plarr View' ofA the insulate ing' block',

Figure 3 is a l'iottorn` plan. View' of; the topr plate o1:` section. of; the bloem.

Figure 41 is as. @ossi-section taken through the plate on the: line f-4 ot Figure 33,

es 5t is: a top piana view of. the central; or plate or section ot the block.

Figure 6t is. a2- top= planlvicw of the; main. section of the' block showing. the electrical contacts mounted tneifein.,.

Freu-fre '7: is a ttor-n1 plan.v View oi? the. sec@ tion or plate. of? the blockg.

. Figure. 8 isI a. cro'ssLsecition taken online 8-8 oli" Figure. 6,-

Figf'ure ay is4 ai section taken on linel e--Si orv Fie.'- ureI 6,. Y

Figure. 11o.1 e topi piana View ot' the too plate or the block',

fugare tl is a cross-section ot shaped' electrical contact; and

Figui-e l2 is' a= section: of' a specialconcaveconvex contact.

the drawings; which are merely illustrative of mylnvention ali the partslof invention are disclosed?.

The junction or outlet box generally isi desienailecl the electrical junction or) insulating current distributing" bl'o'cl is gener'allydenoted at B whichr` forms tnefbasi'si of` present'- invention.

The usual four sides or walls of' the junction boxfft are designated i103 Hf, |.2 and |13, its bot'- tom is denoted I4; its angular corners i351 The toplfu'g's- I'6 formed; up'on the angular corners! 17e"h ceive in contacting relation thereto the' usual cove'r pla-te for the box', notshowrr, in which lugs the' screw holes FF are folrned.

Fron'r- Fisure l itt Will b'e'- seen that fou-r EX or Greenfield cables f8, |8506', |1819' and I''cextencf in-to the four sides' of the junction b'ox s'o-that the ax'- ially' aligned cables lise and we' are disposed' at rientv angles to the'- aziially' aligned cables l-8- and F817; lnsidefoil thev box each of' these cables t8, |5811, 185, and* llfcf'have" their"coVeredW'ireslZ Elli; Ica, zur; zool-Mot and 26eme; respective eirtendilnela snort dtstancefrom theiadjacents'io fn divergent manner or" disposition., 'Eller clamping a) Channel 3 parts of the junction box which hold these cables in place in the box are designated 25.

The main insulating current distributing block B will now be described. It constitutes the essence of my improvement in junction boxes. It consists of three plates or sections united tcgether operatively to produce a unitary body after all contacts with 'terminals have been inserted properly therein. The top section is designated 3 I, the main or middle section 39, while the bottom section or plate is designated 32.

The top face of the main section 3U of the block is designated 33 and is illustrated in Figure 5. Here it is seen that this section has a large central cylindrical or circular opening 34 extending therethrough from which extend radiating grooves 35, 36 diagonally of this block section. The groove 38 connects and communicates with a diagonal recess or groove 31 across one corner rounded out and taking right angular turns as at 38, 39, to open out respectively of right angular disposed edges or margins of the block. Holes 48 are also diagonally disposed at this corner of the block, being formed in the groove 31.

A relatively straight contact receiving groove 48 has at one end a head 4| and at its opposite end a toe 55. The head of this groove 48 is located at a corner of the block diagonally opposite to the cross groove 31 while its toe is located on the same margin of the block where groove 31 opens out by means of its turn 38, but this toe 50 is disposed also in or adjacent a corner of the block. The head 4| of the groove 48 is composed of a three-angular terminal receiving recess, one extending to the right and at right angles to groove 48, as at 42, a second recess 43 thereof extending in a direction opposite to branch 'or offset 42, so as to open out of the adjacent margin of the block which is parallel to groove 48. The third recess of the three angular socket is desig nated 46, and is disposed substantially in line with groove 48 between recesses 42 and 43 at right angles thereto and it opens out of the margin of the block making a right angle with the last named margin of the block, just referred to. It will also be noted that parallel edges 44, 45 of this head of the groove or passage 48 are disposed diagonally of the corner in which the head is located. lt will also be seen that diagonal passage or groove connects with the head of this groove 48.

The toe of the groove or passage 48 is a widened recess 58 which opens out of the edge or margin of the block directly opposite and parallel to that margin out of which offset recess of the head of this groove opens. A hole 5| is formed in this widened toe recess 50 of passage 48.

There is an inclined connecting groove 52 running along that margin of the block into which recess offset 46 opens, and this inclined groove connects with the head of the passage 48, in a plane with inclined edge 45 thereof. The other end of inclined groove 52 connects with a straight short length of groove 53 which opens out at 54 of that margin of the block out of which opens the turn 39 of the cross recess or groove 31. This short straight groove 53 is formed with three aligning holes 55 in the length thereof.

The pair of centrally converging short grooves 35 and 56 register with the central opening 34 of block section 39. The outer end of groove 56 connects with the inner end of groove 53. Arranged diagonally of the block section 30 at the corners thereof so as to respectively flank the short straight groove 53 and the toe of passage 48, are two terminal receiving recesses 51 and 58, being preferably rounded out. The recess 51 has a flaring end opening out of one margin ofthe section 30, while recess 58 opens out of another margin at right angles to the last mentioned margin. Holes 59 and 8c are formed respectively in recesses 51 and 58. At opposite ends of a medial line of the block section 38 are formed small recesses 6|, 62 which are square in cross section. They are located, one midway the length of groove 48, between it and the adjacent parallel margin of the block section, and the other midway between groove 31 and groove 53. Holes 63, 64 are formed in these square recesses 6I, 62. In Figures 5 and 9 are shown tubular or sleeve screws E5 and 66 imbedded into the block section 39. They are located at the ends of a medial line of this section which is at right angles to the medial line thereof at the ends of which are located square recesses 6|, 62 respectively. The screw holes in these tubular screws 65 and 66 are denoted at 61, 68 respectively. These sleeve screws, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9 open out from top and bottom sides of block section 30.

In Figure '7, 69 denotes the bottom side or face of the middle section 30 of the block We have just now been considering. It will be noted that all of the block sections have rounded corners 10.

An L-shaped passage or groove has one leg 13 thereof extending* along the left of the side margins of the block section and its opposite leg 14 extending along the margin at right angles thereto. Toes 15 and 16 form widened recesses at diagonally opposite corners of this block section 38 into which the hole 59 and the hole 68 respectively open. It will be seen that the corner part of the L-shaped passage is shaped somewhat like the head 4| of the passage 48 shown in Figure 5, except that it has a two angle terminal recess offset 19 instead of a three angle one. One of these offsets of the two angle socket is denoted at 8U, and the other, diagonally opposite thereto, is denoted at a. The parallel edges 8|, 82 of this recess, at the corner of the L-shaped passage, extend diagonally thereof. The holes 40 open into the two angle recess 19.

In Figure 3 the bottom side or face 83 of the top section or plate 3| of the insulating current distributing block is shown. It has a central cylindrical or circular opening holes 86 arranged on opposite ends of a medial line of this block section, and at the ends of another medial line thereof at right angles to the last named medial line, are formed recesses 94 which are square I' in cross section. The holes 89 in these square rev spoke-like recesses are formed designated 90, a,

90b and 90C. Angular corner'sockets are also formed on the bottom side 83 of block section 3|, at the corners of which are separating ridges 9|, 9| a, 9Ib and 9|c respectively, for the four angular corner sockets. These sockets are arranged at the four corners of the block section 3|. Each consists of one arm 92, opening out on one of two parallel edges or margins of the block section, while the other arm 93 opens out of the other two margins thereof which are also `par-- 5 -all'ell but a plane. at right angles to the .other :two parallel margins.

The bottom cover plate` or. section. 3.2' of the blo-ck isshown in `Figure 2. The central. lcircular opening- -therein .is .denoted at 95. .As shown ,also `inliligure 8, this .section is formed, in a plane concentrically with opening. .95, with an integral annular depending hump 99 of vconvex cross section, the inner wall for which .iiares into. the in.- teiior fof opening 95. as well as out of the outer end. ofthe humpas at 99a. The bottomfcr .outer side or face of this blocs. ksection t2, sho-wn in Figure 2 is designated Round screw-head receiving recessesV 98 yare iormedin this .section 32 (Figure 8) along one Vmedial line thereof, and along another `medial line .thereof .at righ-tangles to the one just mentioned and -at yopposa'de ends thereof. vHoles Sita (Figures .2 and 8.) open. into the recesses 98.

I will now describe the contact members which are imbedded in the insulator block; sections. Referring to Figures l, G, '7., 8 and 9, thesefare clearly shown. designates a contact member shaped to the exact contour of the lpassage its 4of Figure 5, including its head itl and toe 90. Iit lies counter-sunk in vthis passage snugly. The head of Ithis Contact member is denoted at im and the toe at litt. An L-shape contact mem.- ber |02 is also shaped to the exact outline'oi 'the L-'shaped passage crgroo-ve shown in Figure 7. This is shown indotted -lines in Fig-ure l andFig- 'ure 6 necessarily. Cnc contact leg of this contact member rlfiSZ-is designated (Figur-e 1 w3, and the Aother |99. The corner two angleV part is designated |195, and the toes at the ends there of are denoted respectively les, lia. It will be seen from the assembly or all sections of the block in VFigures 8 and 9, that these Acontact members 99- and |02 are located respectively on the upper and llower sides of the main blo:A section- 39, be ing countersunlr therein. The contact member v|02 is snugly countersunk in the correspondingly shaped groove sho-wn in Figure 7. In this disposition of the parts the full and dotted line expositions of these contact members in Figurel 6. especially show that .toe t@ of thecontact member |02 extends at the upper right hand corner of the block section 30, inits vbottom face; its corner twoangle portion lies at the 'other corner, being the lower right hand corner thereof, located also on the bottom side thereof. The lhead |9| of Contact member 9S, is shown tooccupy the third corner, the upper left handv corner of the block 30. The toe isi) ofy this contact member 99 occupiesthe fourth, lower vleft handcorner of bloclcsec'tion Also located at the upper right hand corner of the block is a contact plate |02a, which is snugly countersunk in straight recess 53| of the tonv surface shown in Figure 5. It is shown in Figure S to span the leg `lil-3 in groove leg 13.0f Contact member |92 which is L-shaped, although thisl .contact plate overlies the same. side of the current distributing block where contact member 99 is 'countersunle At the lower left hand corner o'f the block the leg itil in gfrcove leg T4 of the L-shapedcontact member i592 yintersects and spans theman shank of contact member 99, closely contiguous to its toe les, although 'on the .other side or .face of the block. rEhe-toe kl 06a vof this L-.shaped- Contact |92 is thus located also :at the lower left hand corner of; the block..

There is a contact plate |53 countersunk `into diagonal or -cross corner recess 31 shown in Figure 5, so that it lies on the same side of the lblock section` 30 wherev the. contact member 99 members.

isllooait'edf.. Finally: twocontact :plates 51a, 50a, fshaped: to. the. nutline off :the rounded :recesses ziashnwn in Figura are floca'ted; in countensunk relation. in. `.the-latter 'so :as alsoY toline .on

the top side of block section 30 alongfwith. conmember 99. `and. Contact pl-alte: 153'. There -has'fbeen produced, in. eiect, two oppositely .ar- .rangeducontact members i991 tandV 1:02, located on opposite v'sides `of the block vsection 30a :in lsuch a manner that asfviewed..in..'1iig11re i6, the head ftil. (of `contact member 19.9 providesa three corner terminal at the upper left .hand cornerof the. block, the portion |05.. of "contact member |i02 provides ta two Acorner terminal. for the .block :located Adiagonally opposite tothe three corner terminal. thereof :for in the 4lower right hand corner of the block, contact @late |0211, produces with. the adjacent toe W6; of -zL-.shaped contact member |02 a three corner terminal in thenuplper right hand corner o1" the block, and toedl of contact member 99 in conjunction with4 the adjacent toe. |f06a of the L-shaped member 'M32 provides a two terminal vcorner in thelower leilt hand corner -of the block.

Binding screws are provided and connect 'to my invention as follows: YIn assemblingsthe. three sections 30., 3f| and 32 orv the insulating current ldistributing block, the. central block .section 3.0 is to vbe attached to the other sections, being top section 3l and lower for bottom section 32.

This is. `done as. follows: I countersinkinto the square .recess 02 Yof block section 30, Figures 5., `6', and 8, which recess is far deeper than its complemental 'square` recess 94. formed` in top section 3|, a W .or channel-shaped contact member shown in Figure 11. This consists of a stem |01. which overlies one wall of recess T6-21, :and the right annular terminal lugs |08., |109 formed at the ends .of stem |01. Holes vHtl; "are formed in the lugs |08, |09, in aligning :relation therein. The bottom lug |f09: of. the channel-'shaped contact member abuts theA bottom wall of recess 62, and thetop lug |300 thereof extends out of block section 30 into block section 9|n and enters partiallyinto square recess 94 therein. When Lsections 3| 'and 32 are `accurately fitted in registering relation with their perimeters coinciding with the perimeters of. the central or main block section 301, circular recesses 98 and holes 98a of section 32 wil1 register with screw threaded holes III formed in lugs F09 in the two channel-shaped contact members I employ in the completely assembled block.

This permits long headed screw Abolts H2v to be inserted into the holes 981ir in bottom section 32 so their heads are countersunk V(Figures 2 and 8) in circular recesses 9B thereof. The free ends of screw bolts are then passedthrou'gh holes 63, 64 of central or main section 30, andscrew'ed home tightly into the screw holes in lugs |09 of the two channel-shaped' contact members shown in Figure 1l. This will clamp sections .30 and 32 together inv abutting relation. .I then insert screw Vbolts, ||8 into holes 89 inthe top section or plate 3| Figures 3 and l0, with the convex washers |20 shown inFigure 12 .resting or lying in the rectangular recesses 9 4. therein on top of lugs. |08 of the channel-shaped contact I then screw home the screw bolts I|3 into the screw holes H0 -of these lugs |08-, so lthat the heads of these screw bolts abut the edges of the counter-bores 88 in which` they are countersunk. As these `screw bolts H0, ||g1 sare screwed tightly into, the flugs H19,` they vdrawthe central block section 30 together in abutting relation also with top section 3|, which action results in mashing or flexing the concave-convex washers somewhat to enhance the clamping action.

It will be understood, however, that before clamping the three sections of the blocks 30, 3| and 32 together in the manner just explained, the terminals of the lead-in Wires of the cables used in this invention will be iirst attached to the block insulatedly in the following manner:

As will be seen in Figure 1, six separate Wire connections or cables are adapted, at the same time, to be attached to the junction box A and to the block B therein. It is understood that the screws used as terminals may pass through the bottom of the junction box as Well as bottom section 32 of the block to unite the block with the junction box.

It has already been shown, as is illustrated fully in Figure 6, that the top side 33 of the main or central block section has countersunk in imbedded relation therein, all the contacts hereinbefore described and designated respectively 99, |02a, |53, 51a and 58a. They are electrically connected in insulated relation to the L-shaped contact member |02 countersunk in the lower face of the block in the following manner.

In Figures 6 and 9 are shown three binding screws |25 which screw into the three screw holes 41 of the block section 30 at head 4| of groove 33 and head |0| of the contact member 99. Binding screws |2| screw into the screw holes formed in contact plate |02a, and also into screw holes 55 of the block section 33. This plate |0211 is secured by a screw |21 (Figures l and 9) into one of the holes 55 of block section 39. Two binding screws |54, Figure 6, are tapped into screw holes formed in the Contact plate |53, and into holes 40 of the block 30. Two binding screws |55 are screwed home into the screw holes in the contact plates 51a, 58a, being also tapped into screw holes 59, B0 of block section 30. There is also a binding screw |56 which is tapped into the toe |00 of contact member 99 and enters hole 5| of block section 30. rIhis makes I0 binding screws in all.

In Figure 1 is seen how the four BX cables I3, |80., tb and |8c are connected to the insulating block, together with two other wire connections. Thus generally described, the two positive and negative wires 20 and 2|, respectively, of cable |8 are bound under screws |25 and |55, respectively, of contacts 99 and 53a onto the top face 33 of main block section 30,-on the left side of the junction box A. Wires 2Ia and 20a, of cable lita are bound under screws |25, |55 respectively of contact member 99 and contact Iplate 51a, on the top side of the box shown in Figure 1. Wires 20h and 2lb of cable |812 are bound under screws |2| of contact plate |9211 and |54 oi contact plate |53, respectively. Wires 2|c and 23e of cable |0c are bound under screws respectively |56 of the toe |03 of contact member 99, and |53 of contact plate |53, on the lower side of the box A. All of these wires are thus mounted in open Wire work, in untwisted relation, upon the same surface or top side 33 of the main block section 30, being bound under the binding screws. In addition, two other' sets of wires |34, |35 and |51, |58 (Figures 1 and 8) are wired in the same fashion, to the block as follows. The wires |35, |34 are bound under screws |25 of contact member 99, and |2| of contact plate |2a, respectively. and bound by the same screws may be the wires |51, |58. The wires |34, |35, |51 and |58 enter the central openings 95, 34 and 85 of the three assembled block sections shown in Figure 8 and therefrom extend in opposing directions from the center of the block as distinguished from the sides of the block and box from where cables I8, |8a, |8b and |8c extend.

Figure 8 indicates how the covered wires |34, |35 and |51, |58 may enter the completed holes formed complementally in sections 30 and 3| of the assembled block sections formed by recesses 35, and 56 and 90a.

The three sections 30, 3| and 32 are further clamped together, after all wire connections have been made to all cables, as hereinbefore set forth as follows. Screw bolts I2| already adverted to, have their shanks, Figure 9, and screw bolts |25, already adverted to, have their shanks tapped into screw sockets formed in the block section 32. This helps to clamp block sections 30 and 32 together. Further, elongated screw bolts |30, two in number, Figure 9, screw home into the tubular screw holes 61, 63 of the tubular screws 65 and 56 of the section 30 of the bloclr` passing through holes 85, 86 of the top block section 3|,

so the heads (Figure 1) of these screw bolts are countersunk in these latter holes. This effectively assists in clamping all three block sections together.

It will be particularly noted, in Figure 1, that the portion |05, shown in dotted lines in this ngure, of contact member |32, has screw holes registering exactly with the screw holes in contact plate |53 into which the binding screws |54 have been tapped, so that these screws |54 connect electrically member |32 and contact plate |53. It will also be seen that when all block sections are fully assembled as shown in Figures 8 and 9 particularly, the complemental grooves or passages of block sections 33 and 3| form complete outlines of channels. In such channels lie the heads of all binding screws which are covered over by the insulating top block section 3|. The wires of the cables |8, |8a, |8b and |8c come out laterally through the recesses 92, 93 shown in Figure 3 so as to project at right angles to the side faces of the central section 30.

Having thus described an embodiment of a junction box assembly according to this invention, it is to be understood that I do not mean to coniine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed save as pointed out in the appended claims.

What I desire to claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a four sided current distributing insulating block, having embedded therein in one face an L-shaped electrically conducting member with binding screws at the ends thereof at two diagonally opposite corners of the block, and a two binding screw terminal at the junction of the legs thereof, a rectilinear electrically conducting member embedded in the other face of said block and disposed parallel to one leg of the L-shaped member at opposite margins of said block, and having a one binding screw terminal at one end crossing the other leg of the L-shaped member and a three binding screw terminal at the other end of said rectilinear member, and a two binding screw terminal imbedded in the same face of the block as the rectilinear member and arranged in marginal alignment with the end of the L-shaped contact diagonally opposite to said crossing terminal of the rectilinear contact.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a square insulating block formed with a central through opening, an L-shaped electrically conducting member embedded in one face of said block with the legs thereof extending parallel to the side edges of said block, a pair of terminals connected to said member at the heel thereof, a terminal connected to the end of each of the legs of said L-shaped member, an elongated straight electrically conducting member embedded in the other face of said block extending substantially parallel to one of the legs of said rst mentioned member and adjacent to the edge of the block removed from the edge adjacent to said one leg, said straight member having an end intersecting the plane of the other leg of said L-shaped member, a single terminal carried by said intersecting end of said straight member, three terminals carried by the opposite end of said straight member, a short straight electrically conducting member embedded in said other face of said `block and spanning said one leg of said L-shaped member adjacent the end of the latter, a pair of terminals carried by said last mentioned member, and outwardly opening grooves formed in said other face of said block communicating with each of said and adjacent to the edge of said middle section opposite to said rst mentioned marginal edge, terminals connected to ends of the legs of said L-shaped member and extending through said section to said one face of the latter, a diagonal termina1 plate embedded in said one face and overlying the heel of said L-shaped member, terminals carried by said diagonal plate and electrically connected to said L-shaped member, a short rectilinear termina1 plate embedded in said one face and spanning said one leg of said L-shaped member adjacent the end of the latter, a pair of terminals carried by said last mentioned terminal plate, and grooves formed in said one face of said middle section communicating each of said terminals with the adjacent marginal edge of said middle section.

FRANCOIS A. LASSERRE.

REFERENCES CITED rlhe following references are of record in the lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,586,709 Schwinger June 1, 1926 1,915,199 Park June 20, 1933 2,288,139 Moore June 30, 1942 2,306,596 Despard Dec. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,676 England of 1906 383,683 Germany Oct. 16, 1923 323,799 England Jan. 10, 1930 

